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Following the discussion at our recent Annual General Meeting, a questionnaire was sent out to all members. Almost half of them replied despite the fact that the time allowed for returning the questionnaire had been kept very short. Some members even provided detailed comments.

The effects and implications of current developments in interconnection technology on print and fire thick film hybrid manufacture are discussed. Particular emphasis is given to the fact that in many cases new techniques complement rather than compete with film hybrids. Alternative substrates, semiconductor packaging, semicustom integrated circuits, surface mount technology and polymer thick film are all included in the paper. Conclusions are drawn which indicate that although these technologies are all of crucial importance they will not replace current thick film technology.

A month or so after the Stresa meeting, the French ISHM chapter, organising a session on ‘Gallic inks’ (!), summoned me to deliver some comments on the 5th European Hybrid Microelectronics Conference. Although it was only a matter of interlude during this technical session, I felt the task quite a difficult one. It became a hazardous project when Brian C. Waterfield kindly asked me to let what is in fact a personal opinion—my personal opinion, standing back from my daily work—appear in Hybrid Circuits. I'll do my best.

Centrotherm GmbH announce the appointment of Mr George Birnie to the position of Sales Manager (Centrotherm UK) for the United Kingdom and Scandinavia (see photograph below).

The results of an empirical investigation into the design and fabrication of high frequency planar thick‐film transformers for use in resonant mode power supplies are reported. A 50 W planar transformer design which realises efficiencies in excess of 90% is presented. The findings are used in order to establish an understanding between winding topologies and dimensions and the physical planar transformer parameters.

On 20 April ISHM‐Benelux held its 1988 Spring meeting at the Grand Hotel Heerlen. This meeting was totally devoted to implantable devices, in particular to the technologies used for these high reliability, extremely demanding devices. For this meeting ISHM‐Benelux was the guest of the Kerkrade facility of Medtronic. Medtronic (headquartered in Minneapolis, USA) is the world's leading manufacturer of implantable electronic devices. Apart from the assembly of pacemakers and heart‐wires, the Kerkrade facility acts as a manufacturing technology centre for Medtronic's European facilities.

The International Society for Hybrid Microelectronics invites the submission of technical papers for presentation at the above event. All original unpublished papers on microelectronics related topics are welcomed.

On October 31st 1985, 48 members of the ISHM‐Benelux Chapter met at the Delft University of Technology for the Autumn 1985 meeting.

Solder is a major use for tin and in his function as Chief Metallurgist of the Tin Research Institute, C. J. Thwaites has become internationally recognised as an authority on soft soldering, particularly for the electronics industry. It is with pleasure that the Institute announces that he has recently been awarded the degree of Doctor of Science (Eng.) by London University, for his published work in the field of soldering and related topics.

Using data from the linked National Health Interview Survey National Death Index (NHIS‐NDI), a new and unique data set, we examine the interaction of age and self‐rated health as a predictor of overall and cause‐specific mortality. Proponents of wear and tear theories argue that as the body ages, it begins to degenerate, leaving the aged in poor health and vulnerable to their ultimate mortality. We find that although the majority of the elderly rate their health as good or better, low levels of education and income contribute to poor perceived health, and the effect of age on mortality varies by level of perceived health. While the oldest old who report the poorest health experience greater risks of mortality, elders who report good health experience much lower risks. As a larger share of our population survives into old age, it is important to emphasize preventive health care policy, as well as strong economic and health care safety nets, not only to promote health but also to lengthen life.